Some Calif. consumers who bought exchange plans are being dropped or transferred to Medicaid

The shifts, which often happen without warning, come as the state works to verify incomes and make sure consumers are in appropriate health plans, the Associated Press reports.

The Associated Press: Income Checks Throw Californians Off Health Plans
Some Californians who purchased individual health coverage through the state's insurance exchange are suddenly being dropped or transferred to Medi-Cal, the program for the poor that fewer doctors and providers accept. Covered California, which is responsible for determining and directing Californians to an appropriate health plan, has no estimate of how many people are affected, saying only that the changes are occurring as incomes are checked to verify the policyholders can purchase insurance through the exchange. Since the shifts often happen without warning, there's confusion and anger among policyholders (9/9).

In other news about state online marketplaces and enrollment efforts -

The Associated Press: US Funding Heads To Va. Health Care Navigators
More federal dollars are headed to Virginia to help consumers navigate the thicket of the federal health insurance marketplace. The Department of Health and Human Services has announced $1.9 million in grants for Virginia. They are going to the Virginia Poverty Law Center and Advanced Patient Advocacy LLC, both located in the Richmond area (9/10).

Richmond Times Dispatch: U.S., State Money Will Help Consumers Find Health Coverage
For the first time, Virginia is preparing to work directly with the federal health insurance marketplace to urge uninsured people to seek coverage and help them find it. The Virginia Poverty Law Center, one of two organizations to receive federal grants on Tuesday to serve as navigators for uninsured Virginians for the second year, expects to partner with the state to expand consumer assistance and education in the marketplace under the Affordable Care Act (Martz, 9/9).

Health News Colorado: Exchange CFO Out, Staff Prepping For Possible Snafus
Colorado's health exchange managers are preparing for possible IT and sign-up snafus that could gum up the next open enrollment this fall as they grapple with more employee turnover. Connect for Health Colorado's Chief Financial Officer, Cammie Blais, is now leaving weeks after her former boss, CEO Patty Fontneau, departed in August. Alan Schmitz has joined the exchange as chief counsel, while Interim CEO Gary Drews has taken charge. In the meantime, the board has hired a search firm to help hunt for a permanent CEO (Kerwin McCrimmon, 9/9).